There really are no secret tricks when it comes to your golf swing. Proper golf swing technique is a must. However, there are some things you can do to improve all of your golf swings - whether you're simply putting or doing a long drive from the first hole.

The Most Essential Component

The first and most essential component here is physical fitness. The more fit you are, the more results you'll get from proper golf swing technique. In other words, your physical strength and flexibility work hand-in-hand with your golf swing technique.

Imagine executing a perfectly timed and perfectly square golf wing with the force of a small child. The swing itself would be beautiful, but the lack of strength would render it ineffective. If your goal is to achieve more distance from your shot, you must increase the speed of the ball -- and that means hitting it with more force.

If you look at a player like Tiger Woods, you can't help but notice that he's in top physical shape all the way around. His strength and flexibility allow him to relax while maintaining perfect form and posture. He doesn't have to fight to add more force to his swing, and that's one of the main reasons his technique is so smooth and fluid.

So, the first order of the day is to work on getting in shape. You need to tone your legs, torso, back, shoulders and arms. Look at golf as a 'total-body' sport.

Improve Your Overall Golf Technique

Next consider running through exercises designed to improve your overall golf technique. One method to get a better feel for the backswing portion of your golf swing is to drop the ball behind your clubhead, then practice rolling it backwards in as straight of a plane as possible.

The reason for this exercise to help you slow down your backswing, as well as get a feel for how low to the ground your club need to be, as many beginners make the mistake of pulling back too fast and coming down too high.

This tendency to 'overswing' happens at the topswing, as well. If you want to improve this aspect of your golf swing technique, you should practice holding your club all the way back then bringing it down with a gradual increase in speed and force. Think of it like a pendulum being brought down by its own weight.

Maybe It's Not Your Golf Swing Technique

Finally, if you're having problems with distance, consider the possibility that your golf swing technique itself might not be the issue. It could be, instead, that you haven't developed an accurate physical sense of the relationship between force and distance.

If this is the case, put down your golf club for a bit and try a little 'lawn bowling'. Practice pitch-rolling the ball, using your arm like a club, to get a feel for how much force translate into how much distance.